Points of Authority
by Aya Eliya
Summary: Celesi's prophecy is found and fought. Dillan battles to keep hating Celesi, but how long can he hold out?
1. You love the way I look at you

Ayanna Naqiy, Larissa Periyts (c) 2002-2004 Aya Eliya

Dillan Albot (c) 2001-2004

Points of Authority (c) 2000 Linkin Park

Escaflowne (c) 1996 Sunrise

Points of Authority

You love the way I look at you

While taking pleasure in the 

Awful things you put me through

You take away if I give in

My life

My pride is broken

"How's this damn thing supposed to work!"  Larissa hissed, more a complaint than an actual question.

Ayanna laughed.  "Liss, you always get worked up over the little stuff.  Just hook it over the gold buttons.  It's just the uniform."

Larissa rolled her eyes.  "Yeah.  The uniform that tells the world: "Look!  We signed up to get beaten to death!"

Ayanna slapped her lightly upside the head.  "And you wonder why I tell you daily you're going to get us kicked out."

Larissa smirked.  "This is our first day staying with the slayers, now shut up."

Ayanna shook her head, laughing.  "This is our first day, meeting Dilandau.  We have no guarantee we won't be thrown back in a cell for another week, just because you set him off."

Larissa frowned.  "So I'm not supposed to mock him, like you do?"

Ayanna blanched.  "So my first meeting with him was left assuming I'd never see him again, ok?!" she replied angrily. 

Larissa raised her arms in self defense.  "Hold it, Aya.  I'm your one ally here, remember?  Don't go alienating me!"

Ayanna took a deep breath, and nodded.  Under her breath, she muttered, "Let's see if we can get out without a flogging."

Dilandau idly traced designs on his throne with his gloved finger.  Today he'd face that Ayanna baita.  Not a thought he enjoyed, but one that was necessary.  Under the fact that Folken had never seen fit to tell him every one of his slayers had been beaten by two girls, he had given the duo a year to prove themselves.

He intedended on making every hour pure hell.

Dillan entered, bowing.  Dilandau's eyes flicked up with curiosity.  "Nani."

Dillan paled.  "Folken demands you take the two out of the dungeon."

Dilandau sprang from his throne.  "Nani?!"  He backhanded Dillan severely before he could control his breathing again.  "Kuso yo, Folken." He muttered, walking away.  He waved one hand.  "Bring them in."  He smiled.  

_Now the fun begins._

Ayanna took the steel hilt, and swinging it a few times to get its feel, she abruptly turned on Larissa and gave the leather armor it's first scratch.

Larissa glared.  "And that was for?"

Ayanna continued sheathing her sword, and pulling it out, practicing on speed and grace.  "Just thought you'd like your first scratch from me, not some ignorant slayer."

Larissa's lip curled to make a small smile.  "Oh?  And you?"

Ayanna laughed.  "We both know you don't want to try that.  Besides, we're facing Dilandau in minutes, I'd assume.  You might want to make sure you can at least hold your sword when he goes after you."

Larissa's smile turned into a smirk.  "I didn't make him want to kill me.  That was your doing, Aya."

Ayanna shrugged, looking straight into Dillan's eyes as she spoke.  "Nonetheless, he'd like nothing more than to send us back dead."

Dillan nodded, finally completely down the stairs, and unlocking the door.  

Larissa eyed him oddly.  "Have I seen you before?"

Dillan paled.  "Hai.  I was one who—lost against the two of you."

Larissa smiled.  "Oh?  Then you're one of Dilandau's pets, then.  Come to fetch us for him, puppy?"

Dillan had his sword at her throat instantly.  "I would watch your tongue around here, country girl, or it just might get cut off," he hissed, "and then where would you be?"

Larissa's face paled slightly, but she smacked him.  "If we're on the same side, why do you have your sword drawn against me?"

Ayanna finished twisting her hair into the leather thong she'd smuggled in.  "You instigated him, Liss.  He knows that as well as you do.  And he's right, your mouth's going to get us both into nearly as much trouble as mine will."

Dillan turned his sword on her for leaving the cell before he was ready, but she kicked his hand, sending the sword skittering across the ground.  

Her eyes flashed.  "Nonetheless, Albot.  You would do well not to attempt harming her while in my sight.  You're liable to get your head lopped off 'accidentally.'"  The lethal edge to her voice on the last word gave Larissa shivers down her spine.

She went ahead of them, murmuring words to a song:

Forfeit the game 

_Before somebody else_

_Takes you out of the frame_

_Puts your name to shame_

_Cover up your face_

_You can't run the race_

_The pace is too fast_

You just won't last 

Larissa smirked, and muttered to Dillan, "You watch.  Just to prove that verse wrong, she'll outlast anything Dilandau puts her through."

Dillan shook his head, in disbelief.  "And you?"

Larissa blushed in shame.  "I'm nowhere near her.  If one of us dies, it'll be me.  If either of us is broken, we both know who it'll be."

Dillan sighed.  "Women do underestimate themselves."

Larissa kicked him hard in the side.  "You want me to watch my mouth, and yet you do otherwise?  That would indicate hypocrisy, soldier."

Dillan just glared at her.

Ayanna whapped them both in the foreheads.  She smiled.  "You two are getting along too well."

They both fixed their glares on her.

When the door opened, every eye was attached to Larissa and Dillan, their anger making them seem to glow red as they glared at each other.  Dilandau smiled, turning to Ayanna, who regarded him coolly.  The calm fire wasn't as delicious as her unrestrained rage was.  He decided he would keep her angry at all times, it would make things more unpredictable.

Ayanna's gaze turned to a glare.  "What is it you wish, Dilandau sama." She demanded in a forced calm voice.

With his glare, he dragged her forward into the range he could backhand her.  "You are not here to demand answers," he coolly replied, smacking her face again.  "you are here to learn under your commander."

Ayanna's glare intensified, and he recognized the rage growing in her eyes.  He memorized it, savoring it.  Training would be sweet bliss, antagonizing her into attacking him foolishly.

Larissa watched with barely restrained rage.  She didn't realize she was squeezing the life out of Dillan's arm until he lifted it to get her attention, with raised eyebrows.

Dillan worried for Larissa.  Dilandau had chosen Ayanna as his newest toy to break, and if Larissa intervened as he knew she would, she would be broken, too.

For some reason, he didn't think that fair.

When Dilandau's arm came back up to slap her again, Ayanna caught it, bending it backwards.  Looking at his glove as if it were mildy intriguing, she threatened, "Do as you wish to me, but if either of these knuckles touch her face, I will kill you." She murmured so softly only he could hear.  

He loved the lethal edge to her voice.  He wanted to hear her begging him to stop, stop beating her, stop breaking her.  He knew she wouldn't do it, but if he touched Larissa, he could push her too far.  He smiled.  "You will be fun to play with, girl."  He yanked his arm away from her, and kicked her to the ground.

Ayanna landed in a crouch, and came up, fire in her eyes, but he knew she wouldn't release it.  Ayanna cursed.

He can tell when I'm going to try.  Doing it here will only get Larissa in trouble.  At least he knows my threat was sincere.

Migel cleared his throat.  "Dilandau sama, where are they to go next?"

Dilandau glared liquid fire at the slayer who had dared to interrupt him, but lessened, as he considered the question.  He smiled cruelly at Ayanna.  "They will be treated as the rest.  They will eat in your mess hall, they will sleep in your bunk room.  They will take Akai and Ranei's place in every way."  His eyes penetrated Ayanna's every defense.  "There will be no exceptions—in ANY case."

Only then, did Ayanna fully realize what was intended, and then she please Dilandau by shivering.

Miguel nodded, and to Shesta, yet unseen by Dilandau, nodded.  Shesta silently strode off to prepare arrangements Dilandau was too important to be bothered with.

A few minutes later, when Dilandau demanded to be left alone for the first's training session, Dillan took Larissa's arm, and with clenched teeth, took her to a corner he'd found in the vione to think.  

He forced her to turn towards him.  He examined every inch of her face, reading every detail.  

She was terrified.

In her fear, she did something she'd never done before.  She hugged Dillan, shivering.  

Dillan blinked, unsure of what to do.  He slowly eased his arms around her, confused by millions of things.

"She's scared.  Oh God, she's scared!  What the hell am I going to do now!"

Dillan smiled.  "Larissa, is Ayanna frightened often?"

Larissa shook her head furiously, her head still leaning on his chest.  "Never.  We've fought men four times our size put together, who have been training twice as long as we've been alive.  And she's never scared.  Never."

Dillan bit his lip.  How did he tell her that Ayanna might survive, now that Dilandau knew she was frightened of him?  Dilandau thrived on fear.  If she hadn't shown fear, she might be dead right now, her throat slit.

He didn't know how to put that into words, and didn't think she'd understand even if he could, so just held her.

Dilandau smiled, kicking Ayanna's body on the floor.  "You don't like it down there, do you?"  Her glare was answer enough as he kicked her again.  "Good."  

He'd ordered her to lay on the floor, and enjoyed stepping on her.

Ayanna's breath rushed out as he kicked her in the ribcage.  "You need to understand submission, Ayanna.  If you don't, you'll get killed in battle."

Ayanna merely smiled.

Dilandau didn't like that smile.

He yanked her up by the hair.  "You don't have permission to kill yourself in battle!" he screamed at her, kicking her in the stomach.  "You are my property!  Damnit, you FOUGHT to become my property!  It's your own fault you're here, not mine!"

Ayanna smile didn't diminish.  "You fought to have us."

Dilandau cursed.  They both knew she was right.

Ayanna still had one weapon, and she didn't intend on giving it up without a fight.

Dilandau wasn't sure he wanted that fight.

A/N: More for Eraya.  Or maybe just because I wanted to write more.  *shrugs*  I'm not sure where to take this fic yet.  


	2. While taking pleasure in the awful thing...

Aidana Albot, Celesi Entreri, Ayanna Naqiy, Chiyla Nephels, Larissa Periyts (c) 2002-2004 Aya Eliya

Dillan Albot (c) 2001-2004 Ash

Points of Authority (c) 2000 Linkin Park

Escaflowne (c) 1996 Sunrise

Points of Authority

You like to think you're never wrong

[You live what you learn]

You want to act like you're someone

[You live what you learn]

You want someone to hurt like you

[You live what you learn]

You want to share what you've been through

[You live what you learn]

Larissa suddenly found control of herself.  "I'm sorry, Albot.  I was out of line."  

Dillan curiously peered at her face.  He sighed.  "Do you two ENJOY looking stoic all the time?  Sheesh, I thought you were opening up to me."

Larissa couldn't hold back a small giggle.  "Stoic?  Our sensei always told us expressions can give away your next move, and are dangerous.  He said the most revealing feature is your eyes and your mouth.  But mostly your eyes."  

Larissa smirked.  "My eyes have always been perfection, even sensei told us that."  

Her face fell.  "He also said Ayanna's eyes would get her killed one day."  Her eyes got misty, remembering.  "I remember that day with crystalline clarity.  I think Aya does, too.  'You may be ten times the fighter Larissa is, but your eyes will get you killed for insolence, while she can look innocent and live.'  Sensei never spared us.  Said it made us stronger.  I think he broke Aya's heart that day, though."

Dillan absorbed her words carefully.  "Come on.  It's time to eat.  Dilandau will bring Ayanna to eat, more for his own hunger than mercy."  

Larissa glared, but kept her reply to herself.  "You've shown me more kindness than Dilandau will ever give Ayanna, haven't you?"

Dillan suddenly felt guilty.  "Have I broken some rule between you two?"

Larissa undid her hair clasp, letting her strawberry blonde strands floating down.  "There are no written laws we follow.  Only ones that need no words."  Her eyes flared as she ran her fingers through her hair.  "Kind of like a code of honor."

Dillan paled.  "Is this 'code' likely to get Ayanna into trouble?"  He could think of a thousand things that could happen…and none of them pleasant.

Larissa laughed.  "Dilandau doesn't understand us.  He never has, and he never will, unless we let him.  We have one weakness, and it's one he will be hard-pressed to find if he trains Ayanna as we expect he will."

Dillan thought about that for a minute, but couldn't understand.  "How could he not understand it?  The torture he will give her will be different from anything you've seen."

Larissa stepped back, studying his face, her own reflecting she didn't believe he actually mean that.  

When she saw he did, she burst into laughter.  "You really don't understand anything about us, do you?"  

She answered herself, "Of course you don't.  All you think of us is two little country girls.  How could you?"  

She shook her head in disbelief.  "How can I explain this without having Ayanna lop my head off?"  

She contemplated for a minute.  "You know how Gaea is connected to the Illusionary Moon?"  

Dillan shook his head, silently.

Larissa sighed.  "Neither do I.  But the two are connected, true?"

Dillan nodded, he got that part.

Larissa breathed a sigh of relief.  "Good.  Now, all the planets in this galaxy are connected to at least one other in different ways.  Earth is connected to Gaea, from what Ayanna's told me, through something called Atlantis.  But Earth has it's own solar system, devoid of life, except for two planets, right?"

Dillan blinked.  "You've lost AND confused me.  Fix it.  Now."

Larissa burst out laughing, again.  "Ok.  I don't understand how Gaea is connected to Earth, but what matters is that we are from Xoen, the tenth planet in their solar system, yet connected to our own system of fourteen planets.  Scholars call our planet many things, but we call it Xoen."

Dillan blinked.  "This matters how?"

Larissa hung her head in defeat.  "It would take an inhabitant who knows four times as much as me to try and understand what I only know from Ayanna."

Dillan cocked his head.  "So why are you here, if you are from a planet, not related to us?"

Larissa sighed.  "That is the part I can't tell you.  It involves us becoming important in Zaibach, though."

She brightened.  "Aidana!  Aidana could explain it to you!"

She turned eagerly to him.  "She had your last name.  Is she a cousin of yours?  She was a close friend of mine."

Dillan hung his head, his hair covering his eyes.  "She—died.  Fanelia killed my family for spying on the crown."

Larissa pursed her lips.  She couldn't tell Dillan his sister was very much alive, not if Aidana had him believing this for a purpose.  "I see.  How long ago was this?"

Dillan angrily glared up at her.  "What does it matter?  She's dead, and I DON'T want to talk about it!"

Larissa threw her head back and laughed.

Dillan's glare just intensified.

Ayanna looked up, and smiled.  Larissa was laughing.  She must be talking to the Albot.  She wondered how Aidana would take it that Larissa liked her brother.  She winced at either joyous or angry response.  Aidana was a very volatile woman, but was one of the most important people protecting Gaea.  

Ayanna suddenly worried Larissa would tell Dillan too much.

As a boot came crashing down onto her wrist, she cried out in surprise and unexpected pain.  "Do you enjoy the pain, pet?"  He lifted her head by the head, to look into her eyes.  "Let me give you more."  He backhanded her, letting her fall to the ground.

As Dilandau sank to the ground beside her, she realized he was exhausted as well.  She crawled over to him, and laid her head in his lap.  

He was too tired to shove it away, and it felt nice, with her warm cheek on his leg.  He idly stroked her cheek, unknowing the small smile it invoked.

Ayanna wondered what the consequences would be if Dillan and Larissa became a duo.  Not only to Zaibach, but to the council of Xoen.  She winced, knowing the odds weren't great, even if Aidana sided with her friend and brother.

The only one who could make the coupling work was Celesi Entreri, the sacrificial lamb.  But the HiRyuu and BloodBaptism were intertwined so tightly, she saw Larissa crushed by the weaving.  Ayanna closed her eyes.  Politics should not matter.  

And yet they did, in so many ways.

Ayanna turned her head up, to look into Dilandau's eyelids.  More to herself, she muttered, "Life is hell."

Without opening his eyes, Dilandau agreed.  "Pure tormentous hell."

Ayanna dropped her head off, smiling bittersweetly.  "Oh, the torment I'm about to bring for the greater good.."

Dilandau's hand was instantly on her throat, but he was too tired to decide whether she was threatening or not.

Ayanna couldn't either, and was giving too much away.

At the moment, she didn't give a damn.

Dilandau idly stroked her throat, too tired to sleep.  "Do you enjoy confusing people?"

At that, Ayanna burst out laughing.  "If you think I'm bad, maybe I should tell Aidana not to come visit.  It would save you some hell that way, anyway."

Larissa revealed she was in the room by responding, "No, if she brought Chiyla with her, it WOULD be tormentous hell.  Zaibach would be ruined if those two put their hand against Zaibach."

Both Ayanna and Dilandau jumped to the ceiling, springing apart, wide awake at last.

"How the hell did you get in here?" they both screamed at the same moment, glaring at each other again.

Dillan covered his mouth, stifling laughter.  

Larissa sighed.  "Someone left a window open for ventilation." She clucked her tongue.  "A very sloppy setup, if I do declare."

Dilandau glared at her.  "You gave up your dinner to mock me?"

Larissa smiled, patting her stomach.  "No, I got bored.  Decided to teach your slayer how to sneak in here in case he ever needs to know."

Dilandau turned his scowl to Dillan.  "Forget everything you learned."

Dillan put his new Xoen stoic face on.  "Hai."  He was also using Aidana's usual double talk, but maybe that's an Albot trait.

Dilandau glared, knowing the lie for what it was.

Ayanna and Larissa laughed at the both of them together.

Ayanna smiled at Larissa.  "The new representatives of Gaea trust each other about as much as anyone on the council trust the current one, right Liss?"

Larissa's eyes widened.  "What the hell!  Why did you go and say that?"

Ayanna laughed.  "Why does it matter.  When the damn paperwork finally completes, and Aidana gets the report that she's being replaced by her own brother and a general, I have a feeling a very pissed councilor will be here to take a few heads."

Larissa sighed.  "I figured it would be another year.  Didn't our predessor file that request?"

Ayanna nodded.  "We were two, I think.  I think our first birthday party at five was his rejoicing that the council responded so quickly to the decision that the predestined Albot would need male support, more than our age."

Larissa laughed.  "Aya, I think you're right.  Then again, Aidana's been to three times the planets we have.  She has some powerful allies."

Ayanna smiled.  "And we have some powerful owners.  If there's anyone Aidana will stop at, it's Dilandau."  She raised her eyes.  She couldn't very well say Aidana idolized Dilandau, that might ruin unknown plans of Aidana's.  Whether they were to seduce or kill the general, neither knew; but they knew better than to ruin a plot of Aidana's that would ruin nothing.

Larissa eyed Dillan.  "He's the one, isn't he."

Ayanna sighed, seeing the pain in Larissa's eyes.  "It's not positive that you're the sacrifice, Liss.  Don't settle yourself to the fact just yet."

Larissa's eyes flashed.  "I will.  I will not set him up for death if I can save him from it.  My life is nothing compared to Celesi's.  If Celesi dies, we all die.  If I die, and she lives, that's all that matters."  Her eyes flicked back to Dillan, saying without words that she wanted him to live, too.

Dilandau picked Ayanna up by the hair.  "All right, enough unclear babble of the end of the world.  Most of which we weren't supposed to hear, I'm sure.  You're going to eat, sleep, and start again."

Ayanna smiled, prying the glove off of her head.  "Then let go so I can walk, general."

Larissa smiled, watching the much more amiable exchange.

_Looks like beating the crap outta each other helped their relationship._

Dillan slammed her against a locker, smiling grimly when Ayanna and Dilandau shut the door.  "Now you are going to tell me what the hell is going on, and why you're going to kill yourself to let some idiot like Ayanna live."

Larissa just smiled at him.  "You are HiRyuu.  Celesi is the Blood Baptism.  I see a perfect match already." she couldn't hide the hurt in her eyes as she shoved the leather off the smooth effort with extreme effort.  "You have enough to worry about.  After ten years, Aidana finally wants us dead, and to say hi to you."

Dillan stayed leaning against the locker, trying to comprehend the conversation.

A/N: This chap died for a day or so, when I got writer's block, but I got over it, and decided to do some horrible foreshadowing.  This fic's grown beyond me, and I'm turning it into an RP in a few chapters.  If anyone's interested, respond ^_^ Hope you like.


	3. You take away if i give in

Ayanna Naqiy, Larissa Periyts (c) 2002-2004 Aya Eliya

Dillan Albot (c) 2001-2004

Points of Authority (c) 2000 Linkin Park

Escaflowne (c) 1996 Sunrise

Points of Authority

Forfeit the game 

Before somebody else 

Takes you out of the frame

Ayanna Naqiy glared, sweat glistening on her brow.  To the other side of her, on the other side of a pole, Larissa Periyts smiled.  "Problem, Aya?"

With one smooth movement, Ayanna swept Larissa's pole from her, and had hit a rather hard strike to the back of Larissa's head.

Larissa didn't cry out, just returned the glare.  "You would have sliced my head in half if that were a real blade, Aya!"

Ayanna calmly picked up the fallen pole, and placed it against her own.  "Then you should be glad Zaibach hasn't accepted us yet, if you can't defend yourself from your best friend."

Larissa's harsh glower dissipated as she sighed.  "You're right—partly.  But they don't accept us for another reason."

Ayanna nodded, replacing the poles with the other training equipment.  "We're females."  She shook her hair out of the restraining clutches of the leather thong hair tie, and pulled her forest green shirt over her white exercise cover which covered precious little.  As she fiddled with the ties on the shoulders, she tossed her hair over her shoulder, and smiled.

Larissa was tugging viciously at the ties on her own red shirt, her black shirt showing where it wasn't.  She looked up as Ayanna tied it for her.  "You don't have to do that."  

Ayanna shrugged, smoothing wrinkles from her cream colored pants, and tugging on the ones on Larissa's black pair.  "Better than everyone seeing your black undershirt, Liss."

Larissa sighed.  "Can we at least try signing up again?"

Ayanna rolled her eyes.  "Fine.  As long as you're willing to endure the cat-calls without knocking teeth out."

Larissa's eyes flashed fire.  "If they mock me, I will stand it.  I will not have them describing what they'd do to you if we entered."

Ayanna laughed.  "You know as well as I what we'd do if they tried to even start."

Larissa laughed along.  "If you can still beat me after three years of training, I'd hate to see what would happen if one of them got you mad."

Ayanna's eyes carried Larissa's flame for a moment.  "You would be terrified if they angered me, Liss," she said quietly. 

Larissa smiled.  "Let's go kick some slayer butt, then!  Better than nothing."

Ayanna nodded.  "Let's."

Walking down the path, into the village, the two girls laughed amongst themselves at the various bits of gossip they'd heard of themselves.

"And besides calling me a demon wrapped in a beautiful mortal skin, he called you an angel of light!"

Ayanna laughed at that.  "I think he got our parts mixed."

Larissa stopped laughing, and looked at Ayanna seriously.  "No.  Most of the time, they don't see your devilish ways."

Ayanna smiled.  "Now, if the slayers were taking rumors of us, there'd be tales of you keeping me in line, as it usually is."

Larissa nodded, then suddenly pounced on her.

Ayanna was surprised, but fought calmly, rolling over, and pinching the thin scar that ran down one side of her neck.  

Larissa leapt off, squealing.  "That hurt!  Besides, that's breaking the rules, touching that."

Ayanna nodded, bored.  "If we ever get into Zaibach, they'll be doing that a lot more, Liss.  You've got to get used to it.  Besides, they usually go for it, there's not too many weak points they can see on us without breaking rules."

Larissa folded her arms across her chest.  "They have their ways, and we have ours."

Ayanna carefully flipped her hair back over, onto her back, and dusted herself off.  "Why did you tackle me, just now."  She didn't ask, she demanded an answer, but her voice was gentle enough that only Larissa could tell the difference.

Larissa swallowed.  "We need to surprise them, find some way to impress them.  Strategos certainly will never accept us if we are only at the slayers' level, we must exceed them enough to note his attention." 

Ayanna nodded, somewhat distractedly.  "Well, let's go make them scared of us again.  And let's see if there's any old ones left from last year."

Larissa giggled.

In town, boys from ten to twenty were eagerly awaiting their turn to fight Zaibach's dragon slayers, to see if they could earn Folken Strategos' approval, and go for a test before Dilandau Albatou, and if they met his expectations, be granted the title of Dragon Slayer.  They would fight for the glory of Zaibach, though secretly hoping to someday be one of Dilandau's own fourteen slayers.

Ayanna smiled innocently at Strategos.  "What a turn-out.  I'm sure you'll find lots of slayers today."

Larissa popped up behind her.  "Too bad you'll have to report they were beaten by mere girls!"

Folken glared at both of them.  "This is the last year you will be allowed to compete.  I had planned on not letting you in this year even, but was prohibited from doing so."

A man in true Zaibachian uniform stood from behind Folken.  "I prohibited him, because I wished to see you two beaten by my slayers before banishing you from appearing before Zaibach ever again."

Ayanna and the man's eyes met, and sparks were exchanged.  Larissa and Folken watched them with interest.

Ayanna's voice finally reached a level where she wouldn't be hissing, and she answered in a deadly calm voice, "Then I apologize ahead of time for the pain I will inflict on the elite slayers."

Dilandau's eyes widened, and he reached out to backhand her, but she caught his wrist, and bent his arm back.  "We have trained for five years to be worthy enough to face you, _general_, and we will not be judged unfairly because of how we were born."  She released his arm with a shove, and turned on her heel, and walked away with Larissa, who had turned her head and was smirking.

Dilandau watched them go with a glare.  Without turning, he addressed the slayer at his side.  "Migel, you have my permission to take the green's head."  The brown haired slayer nodded.  "As you say, Lord Dilandau."

Ayanna smiled to herself.  Even if Zaibach refused to recognize them, the Naqiy and Periyts families were highly respected.  She left Larissa up on stage, with explicit directions.  

As she pulled on the dirt brown tight shorts, she practiced swinging the pole a few more times.  

"We have been elected to lighten the mood, as we have the general himself here.  So the combatants will have music mixed while they battle, all the way from the Mystic Moon's most powerful country, America!"

Ayanna smiled as The Benjamin Gate came out, mixed to perfection.  Adrienne Liesching couldn't have done it better herself.  With one last breath, Ayanna straightened her exercise cover, and grabbed the pole of Ayun wood, three times as hard as the practice Hen poles.  

On the field stood the first combatant, a twelve year old boy.  Ayanna put away her feelings of pity as to what she was about to do.  She'd only been training a few months when she was his age.  She ducked her head down from viewing the ground at eye level, and in one backflip, was on the field, and racing with her pole forward toward him.  She swung her pole ride, and easily knocked his pole from him without giving him more than a couple of bruises.  

As the next combatant, a seventeen year old clambered up, she hit him harder, lacing a few cuts on his bare chest and back, and twisted around him to avoid any cuts at all.  When he finally fell, she found that the rules were once again bent when she fought, and three heavily trained combatants were nearly upon her.  

Fighting backwards was mildly challenging, but she'd prefer not to tax herself too much until she got into those she'd been training with since she was three.  So she tripped one of them, stepped on his back, and fought _them_ from behind.  Needless to say, it was more than challenging for them backwards, and she made short work of them.

Larissa watched Ayanna worriedly, biting her lip.  She finally put the music on a mixed album from CSJ, and jumped down to join her friend.

Abruptly, the slayers came onto the field.  Larissa looked worriedly to Ayanna, but all Aya did was smile.  "Finally, Liss."

Larissa forced a smile back while swallowing her fear.  "Finally."

Ayanna took a deep breath, and stood still, though Larissa could tell she was tensed.  Larissa did likewise, unsure why.

"Our real fight begins."

The fourteen slayers circled the two girls, and wore confident smiles.  When they were matched with equally confident glares, they worried slightly.  What reason would two girls have to be confident?

Larissa giggled: No Doubt had popped on somehow.  She smiled coyly at Migel.  "Now I'm stuck in the web you're spinning."

Ayanna grinned at Dillan.  "You've got me for your prey."

As the chorus started, the enclosed circle came close enough to strike.  The second they did, they were easily evaded, and slashed back.  They blinked, but closed in again.

Ayanna smiled.  "I don't like our position.  What do you say to reversing it?" she asked Larissa without taking her playful glare from Dillan.

Larissa slashed Miguel's legs.  "Yeah.  On the count of three."

Three seconds later, six slayers were down, and the remaining force was cornered by devilish spinning girls whirling around them, jabbing in where they least expected it.

Dillan finally managed to time them, and sliced Ayanna's leg from knee to ankle.

Abruptly, they went slower, in time to the music.  Ayanna's face had winced, but she whispered, "Now it's gone too deep.." and slashed through his armor to give him a smaller scratch on the same leg.  She then lifted her severely blood covered foot and smashed it into his face, the blood phasing him more than anything.

As Migel aimed a slash at the back of Ayanna's neck, and take her out of the contest, he was tackled to the ground, and got half a dozen cracks to the head from Larissa's pole.  She yanked his head back by the hair, and hissed into his bleeding ear, "Don't you dare EVER try that again, or I won't leave you alive."  Migel swallowed, and welcomed Larissa's kick which took him from the painful conciousness.  

Dillan winced, touching his wound lightly, but kept his glare on Ayanna.  She had it out for him now.  And from what he heard of Migel and Larissa's fight behind him, he wouldn't be on his feet long.

Abruptly, the odds seemed to change.  Gatti had slipped his pole in front of Ayanna's throat, and had jerked back on it, forcing her to lean against him.  He smirked at Dillan.  "Want to give the baiata some payback?"

As Dillan advanced to do just that, the two she-demons reacted instantaneously.  Gatti blanched at Ayanna's mule kick and had his own pole and Ayanna's pole crossed over his throat, and was rhythmically beating them over his head.  Dillan meanwhile had been slammed to the ground as Larissa had jumped onto his back, knocking him down.  

When Ayanna turned her glare to Chesta, she hesitated a split second, her eyes widening, but still slapped him, except to the side of the head, instead of other painful places she had intended for her next attacker.  Chesta slipped into blissful unconciousness, feeling she had spared him for some reason.

When the two had knocked the slayers down, two were dead, and every other injured in some way.  Dillan, Gatti, and Migel had revived as the lesser slayers had gone down, and fought; somewhat disorientedly, but still with fierceness.

Ayanna wiped the sweat from her face, and, eyes closed, mouthed the words to Linkin Park's Points of Authority, "You love the way I look at you, while taking pleasure in the awful things you put me through.  You take away if I give in: my life, my pride is broken." Her face contorted as the voice deepened, her eyes closing tighter.  Dillan, looking at her, pondered.  He mouthed the next words with her. "You love the things I say I'll do.  The way I'll hurt myself again just to get back at you.  You take away if I give in: my life, my pride is broken."  He had a feeling that was what their relationship was like if they were accepted.

Larissa wiped a mix of blood, sweat, and hair from her forehead.  She wondered how much was hers, and how much was theirs.  

They both turned at Dilandau's voice.

"You have killed two of the Dragon Slayers of the elite class.  This town will be expected to supply replacements."  His glare spoke the words he knew better to speak.  It would not be them.  

Ayanna glared at him, but said nothing.  

Larissa, on the other hand, refused to be silent.

"How dare you!  We fought sixteen to one, and when we take down the weakest, we are told to go home, as if we hadn't done anything?  I will not stand for it!"

Ayanna glared at him.  "We've had our fight, Liss.  You don't want to serve under him.  All he will do is look down at us, never accepting who we are.  Besides, if you don't stand for it, I'm sure anyone here would be glad to have our heads to try pleasing the _general_."  Again she emphasized his name, before turning on him again.

Dilandau strode down, grabbed her by the shoulders, to make her face him, and slapped her with as much force as he dared give a lady.  "You are a woman.  You would do well to get that through your heads before I inspect this town again, or I may have your head to keep others from following your example."

Ayanna pried his hands off her shoulder with her nails.  "Then you would be better off taking it here, if you can."

Dilandau's eyes narrowed at the threat.  "You think you would stand up to me in an even fight?  That is where you are wrong.  I have been trained for the last four years under the general above me until I was strong enough to kill him, and take his place."

Ayanna waved his words away.  "Then I am a year your elder, as is Larissa Periyts.  We have been training for five years.  True, our instructor died three years ago, but training to fight for the right to join Zaibach every year since we turned nine counts for nothing either, correct general?"

Dilandau's eyes widened, and he turned to Strategos.  "They have been here every year?"

Folken avoided Dilandau's gaze, not out of fear, but out of being caught in a lie he could be reported for.  "And defeated every combatant, tying only in position to each other one year when I let it go that far."

Dillan forced his eyes to stay open.  He felt that there would be girls in the ranks, more as blackmail against Strategos than anything.

Larissa exchanged an excited glance with Ayanna.  Ayanna returned it coolly, smiling slightly.  Dilandau was screaming at Strategos of the protocol broken.  

His hidden respect had broken through to the surface.

A/N: Oh…so how horrible is it?  Even if there isn't too many of these fics on FFN, I've seen dozens of them on Escaflowne fic sites.  So the idea's not original, though I am very proud of Ayanna and Larissa, and spent an hour coming up with their name and costumes(not to mention could play either of them…yes, I take cosplay too far I know.)

Review if you'd like more.


	4. My life my pride is broken

Aidana Albot, Celesi Entreri, Ayanna Naqiy, Chiyla Nephels, Larissa Periyts (c) 2002-2004 Aya Eliya

Dillan Albot (c) 2001-2004 Ash

Points of Authority (c) 2000 Linkin Park

Without Condition (c) 1999 Ginny Owens

Escaflowne (c) 1996 Sunrise

D'Hara, Mord Sith (c) 1994 Terry Goodkind

Points of Authority

You love the things I say I'll do

The way I'll hurt myself again

Just to get back at you

You take away when I give in

My life

My pride

Is broken

Ayanna contemplated killing Dilandau, and leaving it to be Dillan to keep Aidana in line.  But she doubted they had a chance even with Dilandau, and decided to leave him be.

She slammed her palm onto the control for the door to the slayer's quarters.  She stalked over to her bed, where she collapsed, yanking Lissa down on her stomach on her own bed, also.

Larissa rubbed her head where it had smacked into the metal lining of her mattress.  "What's wrong, Aya?"

Ayanna rubbed her aching head.  "One of the prophets decided to be kind enough to tell us Chiyla and Aidana are on their way here, and have been for a week."

Larissa's eyes widened.  "They were coming from D'Hara?"  Larissa's face contorted into confusion.  "But how does that work?  The prophets are all on—"

Aya nodded.  "—Kirana.  That's our problem, Liss.  They're coming from Kirana.  I demanded to know what Celesi was doing, and the damn fool had no clue where she was."

Larissa smirked.  "Probably getting rest from their meddling ways, I would expect."  

Ayanna rubbed her temples faster.  "That's not the end of it."

Larissa raised an eyebrow.  "Oh?" she asked with a lilt to her voice.

Ayanna sighed.  "Chiyla left a prophecy."

Larissa sat up, folding her arms, and frowning.  "Recite it."

Ayanna reluctantly did so, to prove her point.

_You find the situation just a bit uncomfortable_

_You'd rather stay far away from reality_

_For you to understand would be clearly impossible_

_So you shut your eyes and swear you can see_

_Claiming there is a god, but does that mean anything_

_So condescending to those that you don't understand_

_Just too easy to make them your enemies_

_Like an ostrich, you bury your head in the sand_

_And then shout about all the things you believe_

_But if there is a god, don't you think he can see_

_What you really mean?  What you're doing?_

Larissa cracked up laughing.  "It was an insult, don't you get it?"

Ayanna shook her head, still upset.  "It's prophecy, Liss.  Pure prophecy.  It's predicting an action of Celesi's."  Her eyes narrowed.  "And the sacrice's."

Larissa swallowed, hard.  "How does that indicate me?"

Ayanna shook her head, sitting up.  I would have to talk to Celesi.  She's forced to study prophecy for days at a time.  I would bet she already has it figured out."  Ayanna's eyes flashed.  "But the only way to contact her would be on Kirana.  The prophets would rather destroy their own planet, than let her go."

Dillan tossed a sword onto Larissa's bed, announcing his presence.  "Then let's go."

Ayanna glared.  "You can't come.  Even if I had appointed you councillor—which I can't yet—no one is allowed to go to Kirana except by invitation."

Dillan gave her his trademark smirk.  "Then some rules need to be broken today.  I'm not letting this go until I figure out what you two were babbling about yesterday."

Larissa smiled gratefully.  "If he's the one mentioned—"

Ayanna clapped a hand over her mouth, her eyes revealing her readiness to strangle her if she went one word further.  "IF he is the one in the original prophecy, you are the sacrifice.  I will not accept that!" she hissed.  

Larissa shrugged, uncomfortably shifting away from Ayanna.  "He's coming, we both know that."

Ayanna moaned, rubbing her head again.  "Why me, Jah?  Why am I placed with such fools?"

Thunder rumbled, and Ayanna wisely shut her mouth.

Dillan smiled.  "So how does it work?"

A stone wall slid back into place.  As the grumbling of the rock shook the building, the only occupant of the room winced.  Flipping white blonde strands of hair over her shoulders, she hurried into the outer corridor.  Clutching the newest prophecy book tightly to her chest, she weaved through the unused containment facility, daintily stepping over the traps intended for intruders or escapees. Gritting her teeth, she saw how easily the first mord sith had escaped so silently, without a warning.  

She would have a talk with the keepers of this compound.

But not now.  Chiyla had left a puzzling prophecy, more to annoy her than help, she was sure.

Chiyla Nephets was the First Mord Sith of D'Hara, a planet on the galactic council of high standing.  Ruled with an iron fist and a velvet glove, Richard Rahl kept everything in line.  He had killed nearly everyone of Chiyla's companions when the Mord Sith had escaped to represent the world as a councillor.

Celesi trusted her a distance far closer than she could toss the girl.  A Mord Sith was nothing but trouble, and the fact her prison of prophets had her imprisoned here, and let her escape infuriated her.  Not only was she kept prisoner here, but others?  How many others had been here?  She would have a fun time glaring the answer out of the high priest.

Being the lamb about to be cleansed was very frustrating.

­­

Two women in leather curled their lips back into smiles as they saw floating fortresses in the atmosphere of Gaea.  

One had raven black hair, cascading over everything in hundreds of braids, reaching her stomach, and the top of her head was not plaited as would be expected, but the braids were started in strategic points, to make a writhed line, which illustrated the woman's name.  Her eyes were deptless pools of charcoal and ebony.  Her skin was light chocolate.  If she was from the Illusionary Moon, she would be called Native American.  But she was of High D'Hara.  Chiyla Nephets.  To die writhing in agony.  And that was in the language of the illusionary moon.  Her name was uttered in curses in D'Hara.

She was clothed in black dragon armor, covering her.  The sleeves were from the maw of a dragon, glistening garnet muscle coming halfway to her elbows.  The scales came to right above her chest, and a melding of subtractive magic melted the two together.

The other had dark strawberry blonde hair, which flowed where it wished.  At the moment, her eyes were a shade of fushia, as she was excited, but not particularly more cruel or kind, at the moment.  Her cruelty turned her eyes to depths of garnet liquid, while her rare moments of kindness turned them to aquamarin pools.  Aidana Celosia had changed herself from a lowly child of Zaibachian spies to an ally to a dozen powerful members of the council of the galaxies.  

She was also plotting on ruining the council on her next visit.

She wore deep red leather, of a lesser quality—anaconda.  Spending decades in the High D'Haran humid environment, the snakes had grown to half the size of dragons on Gaea.  She had several as pets, since she had killed their leader, they gave her nothing but praise.  She intended on bathing in someone's blood this night.

Aidana nodded to Chiyla.

The First Mord Sith ignored her.

Aidana slammed her heel down on Chiyla's boot.

Chiyla's agiel was pressed against Aidana's cheek.

Chiyla sighed.  "And you were so obedient until now.  Must we go back to the beginning, Albot?"

Aidana glared.  "My face was perfect until today.  Why did you mar it, right as we arrive?!"

Chiyla allowed herself a smile.  "Because you need something to remember your master by."

Aidana froze.  "Remember?"

Chiyla smiled, tossing three grains of sorcerer's sand over herself.  "We have business to attend to, Albot.  It will be a while before you see me." She ripped her agiel off, and tossed it to Aidana, and disappeared with a shimmer.

Aidana smiled, fingering the leather as it coursed agony through her body.  "I will put it to good use, mistress."

She stroked it once more as she slipped the chain around her neck.  "Good use."

Folken would feel pain for refusing her as a candidate for the DragonSlayers.

Strategos watched her approach.  He remarked to no one in particular, "Does everyone I reject decide to bypass my control?"

A/N:  Ok, little note.  I like Folken, but Aidana's wearing red leather, and I doubt Dilandau will just fall over and beg to be trained.  I hope someone likes this chap, even though it's blowing up into it's own little series.  I'll stop now if you'd like?  Or does anyone still like this fic, after I butchered it?


	5. You like to think you're never wrong ll ...

Don't worry, I'm making this the last chap for the ML.

Aidana Albot, Celesi Entreri, Ayanna Naqiy, Chiyla Nephels, Larissa Periyts (c) 2002-2004 Aya Eliya

Dillan Albot (c) 2001-2004 Ash

Points of Authority (c) 2000 Linkin Park

Without Condition (c) 1999 Ginny Owens

Escaflowne (c) 1996 Sunrise

D'Hara, Mord Sith (c) 1994 Terry Goodkind

Points of Authority

You love the things I say I'll do

The way I'll hurt myself again

Just to get back at you

You take away when I give in

My life

My pride

Is broken

Aidana's barrier shield cut out, and she fell to the roof of the floating fortress.  Smiling, she took a blade made of adamantite, and kissed it.  With her kiss, she imbued it with the magic of her last 'pet.'  Though Chiyla had caught it for her, she had broken it.  Breaking a high standing wizard was joy.  

Breaking Strategos of Zaibach?  The man who had taken her parents loss in stride?  That would be ecstasy.

She stabbed the blade through the shielded metal, and cut a hole just wide enough for herself, and dropped through.

Hitting the polished stone floor on the balls of her feet, she sprang up silently, and crept over to the other side of the room.  

Narya paused, her ears twitching.  "Did you hear that, sister?"

Eriya stopped beside her, nose twitching along with her ears.  Her eyes narrowed.  "I hear a hole.  Let's report it to lord Folken."

Narya didn't have a chance to answer.

Aidana had her tackled to the ground, and silent as the pain of the agiel coursed through her from it's resting place on her neck.

Aidana smiled.  "Do you want to play along Eriya, or should I kill your sister first?"

Narya hissed, and slashed Aidana's arm.

With a silent intake of breath in pain, Aidana moved the agiel to her chest, and the cat girl's heart stopped beating.

Narrow eyes, she glared at Eriya.  "Now take me and report me to your Lord Folken.  I have some complaints to make before I kill you."

Eriya screamed, and sprang her feline form onto Aidana.

Aidana smiled.  "Claws.  That is partly what the agiel feels like.  Here, let me show you?"  Her wicked smile widened, slightly catlike.

Eriya's screams echoed through the entire compound.

In the listening silence that followed, Aidana's laughing whisper was even clearer.

"That was a wickedly naughty vision, my pet."

As the popping and snapping of Eriya's ribs was heard, one couldn't hear Aidana's hiss as well.

"I will greatly enjoy your training."

Ayanna sighed, and took a bag of sorcerer's sand.  "Dillan, when they kill you, don't tell me I didn't warn you."

Dillan smirked again.  "I will die serving Zaibach, Aya."

Ayanna's eyes closed.  "And you like him because?"

Larissa laughed.  "He gets away with everything, just like I do.  Celesi'll adore him."

Ayanna winced.  "If you don't stop predicting your death, I'll leave you here, Liss!"

Larissa smiled, and held the twin to Ayanna's pouch.  "As you say.  I'll fulfill the prophecies one way or another, Aya."

Dillan glared at her.  "I order you not to get yourself killed."

Larissa pouted.  "You call her Aya, but you don't even address me!  I feel left out."

Dillan wrapped her in a tight hug.  "It's only because you're worrying me, Liss.  Stop doing that, and I won't have to upset you."

Larissa sighed, but didn't reply to him, instead turning to Ayanna.  "Spread the sand, and let us go kill ourselves."

Ayanna cast the sand.

Dillan screamed as he felt his body melting away into nothingness.

An hour after the sand had been casted, Eriya finally used the little magic she had, and Aidana marched her through to the main command room.  With Eriya's magic bonding their two minds, Aidana could tell Eriya would sooner cast herself out of the vione than disobey her.

Bleeding all over her once white uniform, Eriya stumbled in.  "Run, Folken." she murmured.  With Aidana's frown of disapproval, Eriya trembled, falling to her knees.  "Forgive me, mistress Aidana." She whimpered.

Aidana smiled in approval, then met Folken's for once horrified eyes.  As his met hers, her eyes turned from deep scarlet to a light violet as her joy at tormenting him balanced the color.  "You owe me some blood, boy." She hissed in a deadly way, stalking forward.

Folken masked his face again.  "I do not know you, how do I owe you blood more than you've already taken?"

Aidana smiled.  "She is not dead yet, though her blood begins to equal that of mine after you caught me and BEAT me for my family's FAILURE, when they DIED, never giving you away."  Her eyes turned to molten fire as she slammed Eriya to the ground.  "I may spare her, and leave her for a pet, but you."  Her lips curled into a joyless smile.  "Oh, you.  You must die, along with one other."  

Folken realized the math didn't add up.  "You have only two.  Are you showing me mercy?" he smiled, already plotting how to overturn her.

Aidana lifted Eriya by her hair.  "This one's sister foolishly angered me.  You can look at her bloody corpse if you wish." She waved to the room behind her.  

She ignored Folken, and knelt down at Eriya's knees.  "Your beloved Folken ignored your sister's dying screams.  Can you ignore that?"  Eriya shook her head solemnly.  Aidana smiled, petting her on the head like a common cat.  "Iiyo, neko.  Iiyo."  She turned to Folken.  "Give me one reason to not kill you."

Folken now remembered her.  Her insolent eyes were impossible to mistake.  This was Aidana Albot.  He had beaten her when she had given her family away.  That had cost him Dillan's trust, and placed the youth in Dilandau's care.  Aidana had disappeared, screaming vengeance.

It looked like she'd returned for it.

Dillan rubbed his tingling arms before screaming at Ayanna, "WARN ME BEFORE YOU DO THAT, DAMMIT!" he forced himself to slow his breathing, but kept his glare on her.

Larissa laughed.  "Thank you for granting me my death sentence, son."  

Dillan fixed his glare on her.  "You do not have my permission to die, Liss."

Larissa kissed his nose.  "I do this for you and Cel.  Not to please you, but to save you." She sighed, closing her eyes a moment.  "Chiyla intends on killing Celesi."

Dillan laughed.  "Then I'll turn Celesi over to Chiyla."

Ayanna slammed her feet onto his back, knocking him onto the ground.  "You imbecilic, idiotic MORON!" she hissed, smacking him over the head.

Dillan glared at her.  "Do you ENJOY hurting me?"

Simultaneously, both Ayanna and Larissa cracked up laughing.  "No, but your sister does.  Except she enjoys giving it to everyone fairly."

Dillan laughed.  "She always was violent."  His eyes widened abruptly.  "You mean—she survived Folken's beating?"

Ayanna nodded, rubbing her temples.  "Oh yes.  She survived, spat on him, swore she'd kill him, and ran off to train with Chiyla.  I'd assume she's killing Folken for what he did, and then Dilandau for what he did to us for rejecting Liss."

Larissa blushed.  "She doesn't know about that."

Ayanna laughed humorlessly.

"That baiata knows everything, Liss."


	6. You have to act like you're someone ll ...

A/N: If anyone lives in Oregon, and likes any of my fics, you should really tackle me, and make me update.  None of my friends here fight me hard enough.  Hell, half of them don't even like my stuff.  Amazing how short these AN's get, ne?

Aidana Albot, Celesi Entreri, Ayanna Naqiy, Chiyla Nephets, Larissa Periyts (c) 2002-2004 Aya Eliya

Dillan Albot (c) 2001-2004 Ash

Points of Authority (c) 2000 Linkin Park

Ultradust (c) 1997 Fold Zandura 

Escaflowne (c) 1996 Sunrise

D'Hara, Mord Sith (c) 1994 Terry Goodkind

Points of Authority

_(Instrumental)_

Celesi felt their coming.  She came out, and smiled softly.  "Larissa, you are as stubborn as always."

Ayanna nodded, fiercely determined.  "We must hide her before the priests discover—"

"You are too late.  The sacrifice has come at last."

Celesi glowered at the circling prophets.  "Leave her alone.  I command thee."

The lead prophet smiled condescendingly.  "We do this for your own good, for your baptism—"

Celesi interrupted him, knocking him to the ground telepathically.  As the fierce colors emptied from his head, the migraine emptying out, Celesi answered him bitterly.  "You care nothing for me.  _Nothing._  All you care is for your salvation, and so you've cared piously for me since I was first taken.  And so you think your good works will be smiled on from the heavens, and your transgressions will be washed.  Mine will be, oh yes.  My hatred for you and your kind will surely be washed away. That is for sure; but your hidden cruelty and greed has been revealed.  You will not be forgiven."

The priest looked horrified.  "But we have the sacrifice, your excellence!  Why is this not enough?  Would the other two forgive us of our sins?"

Aidana slammed into him so fiercely this time that all the others were affected with a deep ache directly in the back of their heads.  "These three I have no wish to kill!"

A lesser priest stepped forward.  "Why do you not wish to follow the mission, Mistress?"

Celesi smiled tenderly at the little one.  "Perhaps I can yet save you from the evil that they inflict you with, little one."

The older priest pushed the protégé back into line.  "Little Jareth should be ignored, Your Excellency."

Celesi's eyes sparked fire.  "Whose place is it to place judgement, _little_ Amos?" she asked, with no small amount of scorn in her tone.

The chastened priest stepped back into his place.

Celesi walked up to Dillan.  "He, whom you would kill for your entrance to Eternal Bliss, would deny you access.  What good would it be if you killed the HiRyuu?"

Dillan tensed, as she'd seen through him so quickly.

She turned to Larissa.  "The sacrifice you intend for me, is his one love.  You would turn him against yourselves if I were to allow you to continue."

Larissa smiled, shaking her head.  "But I—"

Celesi shook her head, stopping her vocal chords.  "Let me finish before you declare your death sentence."

Celesi turned to Ayanna, sorrow in her eyes.  "Why can I not win without death!" she cried, demanding an answer.

Ayanna's eyes watered, and she was overcome with empathy for her.  "My Queen, it is the way of curses.  They are not intended for pleasantness."

Celesi cried.  "Will no one hate me?  Will no one not give me a title for fear?"

Dillan stepped forward, glaring.  "I hate you.  Do not doubt that."

Celesi's eyes filled with hope.  "Do you really?"

_Maybe there is hope, yet._

"You would take Larissa from me."

Larissa stepped between them.  "No.  I leave you both for the hope you can both survive!  If I die, there is an escape from both your curses!  I do this for your good!"

Ayanna pulled her back.  "No!  You do this, for you were raised to.  Step away from your teachings.  Do you really wish death?"

Larissa yanked herself away, and threw herself at Celesi's feet.  "Please listen to this, at least!"

there is no place for us in this turning world we're like the sadness of an ocean we're both the nearest waves and the farthest shores and they'll never ever really begin to understand there is no time for us on this spinning earth today, tomorrow is set in motion and though we might be living in our finest hour they could never ever really begin to understand the world is not in our hands to hold we are ultradust caught in this spin and flux all the while, revolving perpetual dreaming, waiting to break free there is no place for us in this turning world we're like the sadness of an ocean we're both the nearest waves and the farthest shores and they'll never ever really begin they could never ever really begin they will never ever really begin to understand

Larissa looked up at Celesi, her over-filled eyes spilling tears.  "Remember this!  I died that they could understand!  Help them understand!"

Jareth looked at her in shock.  "That's my prophecy…"  he whispered, overcome.

Celesi hugged her friend fiercely.  "Take Dillan and leave!  He hates me, so it is not time yet.  I'll find a sacrifice—somewhere..."  

Chiyla drifted to the ground.  "You won't.  He will despise you for killing his love, but fall for you all the while." She quoth, smiling at the bitter irony.  "There is no hope for either of you.  Even Larissa's saving prophecy will drift from memory, and you will be sucked into the nothingness of your fate.  And once you die, two lovers gone will drive Dillan to release the HiRyuu, and all will be lost."

Amos stepped forward.  "Is the sacrifice willing?"

Both Celesi and Dillan screamed simultaneously for her to stop.

Larissa smiled, and nodded.  "Willing and ready to give life for the Blood Baptism."

The priests drew around themselves cloaks of protection, and held the three in place as the altar was set.  

Little Jareth chanted the spell to power the protection, his baby blue eyes sparkling with tears.

Chiyla watched the horror with a smile—her work of chaos was done.  Now she could enjoy her labor.

Larissa knelt willingly before the wood as the ceremonial blades were sharpened and chanted to enchantment.

Dillan turned to the girl with tears rolling silently over her.  "I hate your god, and hope your damn curse is inflicted with twice the pain mine is!" he snapped in a low hiss.

The knives began descend slowly.

"Wait!"  Celesi screamed futilely.

The knives continued to fall evenly.

She inflicted the worst migraines upon every priest and prophet working the act, but other than fierce wobblings, the knives continued to drop.

Larissa smiled, closing her eyes.  "The Blood Baptism is finished, Cel.  You will suffer no more!"

Celesi almost screamed that she didn't understand, but bit her lip fiercely.  There was no way she could stop it now, all she would do would bring terror of working for nothing to Larissa's mind.  Dying for nothing would make it all the more futile.

The second the spell stopped(which was quite soon after the triple migraines inflicted), Ayanna ran to Celesi, and held her to herself.  "Thank you...at least she didn't die thinking her work in vain."

Celesi sobbed openly.  "She did not read enough!  How could she not comprehend that I am the one to die?  How could she miss the meaning!"

Chiyla laughed, mocking them all.  "Yes, she read the wrong portion of the prophecy, but her death is INDEED predicted.  In my alteration of it, in any case."

Celesi glared fiercely, screamed, and Chiyla shot several galaxies away.

Celesi stalked over to Amos, fought the blade from his hand, yanked a protective cloak from Jareth, and shoved both into Dillan's hands.  "Kill me before I cause any more death."

And your sorrow.

Ayanna protested, "But Aidana had things to say—"

Celesi screamed—a human one this time—and transported Jareth, Ayanna, Dillan, and herself to Gaea.

"KILL ME, DAMMIT!"

A/N:  And there is your chapter.  Once Ash and I get on and RP it out, you'll have the his response.  This fic could end very quickly depending on his choice…heh, maybe Celesi will finally get her wish of death.  You never know where my twisted plot may take us if that occurs.  Probably into a world where I have everyone die, including Folken.  Won't he be happy.  Nah, I'll leave him alive with the priests.  Can't let anyone be happy when I kill all.


	7. You want someone to hurt like you ll you...

A/N: Two RP sessions get you this.  Enjoy the little Dil/Cel you get.  I'm working on a KMSO chap for Celesi Entreri but need to ask some things about Dillan's reactions.  Either that or RP it out when Keli and her aren't working on their better version of Dillan.  Then again, Dillan gets hurt more than insulted there.  Here, he's mainly just insulted.  Oh, and the thing that silenced me for half an hour and got my grandmother's voice out of my head, SARAH IS AIDANA!!!!! *madness* so I start another fic.  Yes, I already have thirty.  Yes, I know it will go no where.  Tell me something new?  *checks email* Update Rory the Prey or I will kill you...eh...not exactly new, but I'll work on it.

Aidana Albot, Celesi Entreri, Ayanna Naqiy, Chiyla Nephels, Larissa Periyts (c) 2002-2004 Aya Eliya

Dillan Albot (c) 2001-2004 Ash

Points of Authority (c) 2000 Linkin Park

Without Condition (c) 1999 Ginny Owens

Escaflowne (c) 1996 Sunrise

D'Hara, Mord Sith (c) 1994 Terry Goodkind

Points of Authority

You love the things I say I'll do

The way I'll hurt myself again

Just to get back at you

You take away when I give in

My life

My pride

Is broken

Dillan lifted the blade as if to kill Celesi, but then slowly brought it back down to his side, "I'm sorry. I can't. I've never killed a woman before." His voice held coldness. _Although I don't know WHY I can't kill her..._ He shoved the blade to Ayanna, "YOU can kill her."

Ayanna burst out laughing.  "If you killed her, Aidana wouldn't be too upset.  But if someone outside the family had the joy, I'd be screwed."

Celesi smiled.  "Earth slang."

"What makes a difference? If she's dead, she's dead."

Celesi glared.  ~Aidana, come and kill me, already.  Leave Dilandau alone for an hour.~

Aidana teleported over.  "You finally acquiesce to death?  Wow, I never thought my moment would come!"

Dillan pondered how Aidana came to resent Celesi. More so, though, the fact that Aidana had survived.

Aidana turned.  "Long time no see, onee baka." she said with a smile, taking the sword from him.  "In a minute we'll talk about the past--especially the annoying one of her killing Yogore before you."

"SHE'S the one who killed Yogore?" Dillan was slightly dumbfounded, not even hearing the old insult that was thrown at him.

Celesi blushed, waiting for the blow.  "It's Chiyla's fault.  I did not mean to take family revenge from you, HiRyuu."  

Aidana kicked Celesi in the stomach.  "Baiata prophet!  Stop knowing everything and die!"

"Don't. Call me. HiRyuu." Dillan's voice had resumed its coldness.

Celesi winced, then bowed.  "Gomen nasai." she turned to Aidana.  "No biting, I've got enough of Chiyla as it is."

_'Biting'?_ Dillan wondered. _O...k...then..._

Aidana smirked.  "Why shouldn't I?  Dillan's not killing you mercifully.  It's me, after all."

Dillan stood back and watched the two women argue.

Ayanna smiled.  "Celesi, you do remember the prophecy."  

Celesi shouted without turning, "Shut up!"  Aidana giggled.  "You mean I can whack her neck repeatedly, and nothing'll happen?  Whee!"

Celesi caught the blade in her hand.  "Baka." she whispered, turning away from Dillan. Taking the blade from Aidana, turning the hilt and replacing it in her own sheath, she turned and walked off.  "If I cannot die, I will go mourn for my best friend.  Leave me be, councilors."

Aidana pouted, and whispered to Ayanna, "Why does SHE get to be head?  I thought I was!"

Ayanna whispered back, "Because she doesn't kill innocent people at the drop of a hat the way you do."

Aidana crossed her arms, still sulking.  "I wish she'd drown herself in the lake she's going to sit beside."

Ayanna nodded.  "Your mind works the same as hers."

Aidana shrugged, unable to pout any longer—being back on Gaea and having victims dead—and all.  "No, I've just known her since the prophecy was activated."

Ayanna laughed softly.  "She thought that you hating her would save her life, Dillan.  But now, it's just another dagger in her heart.  Everything is her fault.  You could destroy Gaea, and she'd blame it on herself."

Aidana smirked.  "I'm going to go help her drown herself.  She might get scared--or something along that line."

Ayanna threw her head back and laughed.  "Chiyla's taken care of the one thing she's scared of.  There won't be anything else, ok?"

Aidana slapped Ayanna down.  "Look, it's her fault our best friend is dead!  Do you not understand that?  You were stationed here with her!"

"What do you mean 'a dagger in her heart'? Why the hell should she care whether I hate her or not?" 

Dillan's voice remained cold, but at the same time had lost a bit of its coldness. He thought he began to feel a little sorry for Celesi, but shoved the thought away. But deep underneath him, his compassion and sorrow for Celesi was trying to find a way to work itself free.

Ayanna resisted the urge to put a hand on his shoulder, and explain things in a motherly fashion.  "Celesi's much like you, a lot of pain and suffering in her life, whether you believe it or not."  

Aidana snorted.  "Other than her mom, the only pain she's had in life is minimal."

Dillan only muttered a simple "Heh."

Ayanna glared.  "Maybe you and HiRyuu aren't so different after all, Dillan.  I thought you had a heart, but I guess all Albots are alike!"

Dillan growled, "Watch it..."

Aidana started powering a kinetic blast for Ayanna, but was knocked backwards.  "You two can hide your grief in anger, but I learned something from Larissa!" she ran to Celesi.

Dillan's fists were clenched at his side, eyes fixed in a glare at Ayanna's back, but inside he was feeling so many things he didn't really know what to do.

Celesi didn't look up from her curled position, her arms locked around her legs.  "You blame them for being cruel when you do the same to them."  

Ayanna blinked surprised.  "I thought you weren't listening--" 

Celesi interrupted.  "Yes, but you broadcast your thoughts."  

Ayanna nodded.  "You wish to be alone?"  

Celesi just stared at her.  "You lost a companion.  I lost someone who knew me better than I knew myself."  Her eyes glistened.  "Please leave me, and go apologize to the Albots.  You know Larissa would rather take things lightly."

Ayanna walked back, muttering, but did as instructed.

_Why'd you have to go an be so mean to her, Dillan? I mean...Wait. No. I am not talking to myself like that. Am I? -.-; I dunno what I'm thinking....._Dillan mentally battled with himself.

Ayanna walked back, bowed, muttered "Gomen nasai, leave Celesi alone." and levitated off.  Hissing, Aidana ran after her.

Dillan caught up enough to Aidana to rest a hand on her shoulder, "Calm down."

Aidana glared.  "Look, calming down is the last thing on my mind.  When Liss was alive, her, Cel and me were inseparable--until the curse.  I'm not gonna let her go bitch herself out because she spent a few years with her on Gaea.  Liss never wanted that!"

"I'm not saying you can't stop her from bitching herself out. Just calm down."

Aidana slapped him, knowing full well the futileness of it.  "Look, you're dealing with your first girlfriend dying for you.  Cel and I are dealing with losing a sister.  I've never been good at being sympathetic, so Celesi can cry until someone comforts her, but I can bug Ayanna for being so angsty."

Dillan's head turned with the slap, but he hardly felt the pain. He was inwardly battling himself, reflecting on Aidana's words. _Why can't I go over to Celesi and....No. Shut up. No more thoughts like that. -.-;_

Aidana waved.  "Both you sit in your misery--isolated.  I'm going to go mad if I stay silent any longer!"

Dillan snapped out of his reverie and slightly nodded, then turned and began to walk over to where Celesi sat. _WHAT the HELL are you DOING? I don't know. _

Celesi looked up.  "Hello."

Dillan didn't say anything. he couldn't decide whether to turn back or stay. He turned around as if to turn back, but then turned back around as if to stay.  

_Spit it out.  Get it over with.  Now._

"....About earlier...."

Celesi cocked her head.  "Sou?"

".....I'm sorry. I was being childish."

Celesi nodded, and smiled softly.  "Larissa was sweet and unpredictable.  She brought out the child in me." she said, her way of accepting his apology.

"Why'd she have to go and let herself be killed?" Dillan asked, more to himself than anyone else.

Celesi blinked rapidly, and choked out, "For the same reason the prophets killed her.  Misunderstanding prophecy, and to protect me."  

_I should have died, not her._

"Baka Liss...She should've read the whole thing..." Dillan said quietly to himself in a half-whisper.


	8. You want to share what you've been throu...

A/N: This is the concluding Chap, but only because there will be a sequel.

Aidana Albot, Celesi Entreri, Ayanna Naqiy, Chiyla Nephels, Larissa Periyts (c) 2002-2004 Aya Eliya

Dillan Albot (c) 2001-2004 Ash

Points of Authority (c) 2000 Linkin Park

Without Condition (c) 1999 Ginny Owens

Escaflowne (c) 1996 Sunrise

D'Hara, Mord Sith (c) 1994 Terry Goodkind

Points of Authority

You like to think you're never wrong

[You live what you learn]

You want to act like you're someone

[You live what you learn]

You want someone to hurt like you

[You live what you learn]

You want to share what you've been through

[You live what you learn]

Celesi sighed, unsure of what to do.  "She shouldn't have ignored me."  

She laughed, feeling the statement derogatory.

"What's so funny?" Dillan stated more than asked, a little harsher than he intended to.

Celesi looked at her hands.  "The irony.  She died thinking she was helping me escape it, but she just sealed it." she looked into his eyes.  "For her sake, I'm going to deal with it."

Dillan averted his eyes, biting back the tears he'd been biting back for so long. He was afraid looking at her would make them overflow. "How could she have been so stupid?"

Celesi clenched her first.  A certain 'matron mother' was the reason, but she couldn't explain that treason.  "Because someone clouded her judgement."

Dillan cursed, fists clenched at his sides. He damned the gods. He damned the prophets. He damned the woman standing in front of him...or did he?

Celesi stood, catching the first part of the thought.  She forced her own tears to recede back into their ducts.  "I won't interfere with you any longer, Albot."

"...Thank you." Dillan murmured.

She bowed, and walked away.

Dillan fell to the ground and drew his knees up to his chest. He rested his arms on his knees and his head on his arms, and silently let the first of the tears trickle down his pale cheek.

Aidana slowed herself.  Ayanna had been keeping just ahead of her for a few miles now.  She stopped, and sighed.  "Baka yarou." she muttered, brushing the sweat off of her forehead.  She turned.  

Celesi levitated beside her.  "Tell Chiyla I acquiesce."

Aidana gave her a double take.  "You give in?!"

Celesi glared.  "She's killed Larissa, in case you've forgotten."

Aidana slammed into her.  "THANKS for reminding me of the one thing I'm trying to get out of my head."

Chiyla smiled, appearing before them.  "I knew you would give in.  Larissa was always your weakness."

Celesi glared, pushing Aidana away so she could strike Chiyla.  "Shut up!"

Chiyla shrugged.  "For a moment, I thought I could use HiRyuu over you, but apparently you didn't 'click,' as the saying goes."

Celesi fell back, suddenly tired.  "The prophecy is dormant?" she asked.

Chiyla nodded.  "The dragon of death cares not for you." she lied, ignoring the thoughts and the actions of Dillan Albot.

Celesi, unusually tired, just nodded.  "Then take us to your House, Matron Mother."

Chiyla uncoiled a single whip to punish her.  "That's Matron Chiyla to you."

Aidana waved goodbye to Dillan.  "See you sooner or later, onee chan!"

Dillan waved back, smiling slightly, "Jaa, 'Dana-chan." As an afterthought he added, "Next time I see you, you'd better stop calling me 'onee-chan'!"

The three made their way to the cave of the Underdark.  Ayanna watched them, shivering.  "Celesi, what are you trying to prove?"

She turned, watching the floating fortress making repairs from Aidana's arrival and attack.  "You're going to make me take them to you, aren't you?  Or do you think I'll let you rot in Chiyla's clutches?"  

She turned her gaze to Dillan, and silently wondered what would happen next, and how long it would take to start.


End file.
